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ACWA Welcomes You
The ACWA Board of Directors, its officers and members would like to welcome you to the online home of the American Chuck Wagon Association, a 501.c.3 organization.
About Our Association
Get To Know Us
The American Chuck Wagon Association started out as a small group of Old West enthusiasts and has expanded to world wide association preserving the American past through competitions, demonstrations, charity and school events and other venues.
Our work is funded by sponsorships, tax-free donations, honorariums and memorials;
(We are a 501.c.3 organization);
cap sales in our General Store (go shopping); as well as membership dues.
For donations, honorariums and memorials, you may send a check or money order to:
ACWA, P.O. Box 626, Belton, TX 76513.
For Honorariums and Memorials, please include the name of the person remembered/honored, and an address for a thank you card.
Youth & the ACWA
ACWA knows our future lies in our youth and we support them by offering scholarships, helping with youth cook offs, demonstrations and other educational activities at cook offs, schools and other events. Check out the YOUTH page for more information.
ACWA Scholarships
Scholarship recipients for the 2022-2023 school year are Reatta Conway from Goodwell, Oklahome and Cloe Swanson from Canton, South Dakota.
Youth Cook Offs
For more information about youth cook offs, see our page. If your organization would like to request up to $150 and other ACWA supplies for a youth cook off, download the form and submit to
via email at wishbonewagon@yahoo.com
or
via mail to PO Box 85, Axtell, TX 76624
Education
The American Chuck Wagon Association is always looking at ways to involve and educate our youth. Another way many involve the youth are through chuck wagon demonstrations. If you or your organization have hosted a chuck wagon demonstration, please send the information on your event along with any pictures to acwa@chuckwagon.org so we can post it onto our ACWA Facebook as well as feature your event in the next edition of the ACWA Monthly Update or ACWA quarterly newsletter, Under the Fly.
Expansion
Currently ACWA has limited funding for these activities but through your generosity we want to expand our funding of scholarships, youth cook offs and other events! Please consider giving donation or memorial (specify on your gift YOUTH) so we can continue and even expand ACWA's involvement.
General Store
ACWA provides quality merchandise so check it out! Whether you are wanting to cook up some authentic chuck wagon meals or show off your support of ACWA through the purchase of a cap or apron...we have something for everyone! Click here to check out what we have!
Chuck Wagon Catering
Many of our members offer catering services. Check out the link above to contact one of them about bringing some of the finest chuck wagon cooking to your next event.
ACWA News & Events
For upcoming events, click on the EVENTS tab.January 2023, President's Message
Hello ACWA Members,
JANUARY. Many people look at January as lifeless and dull after the energy and sparkle of the December
holidays. But January is actually an exciting time of the year. While it is not the half-way mark until the Spring
thaw, it is the beginning of longer days. [And each day of January is 1 day closer to spring!] January is full of
promise. Yes, there will be a few more days of cold, a few more days of snow, and a few more days of cabin
fever. But January also promises a new, full year of adventures.
January is the time to re-evaluate that list of "To-Do's" that was put on the back burner for holidays and family
gatherings in November and December. January is the time to start a new calendar and enjoy memories of
the past year as one is transferring birthdays, anniversaries, and adding upcoming graduations, weddings, and
other special events involving family and friends. Adding to the journey down memory lane are the memories
of the past year's chuck wagon gatherings, festivals, and cook-offs. And, January is the time to remember
those who have passed and enjoy the warm feelings of memories with them.
Another January happening is the upcoming Board of Director's Annual Retreat. The Board of Directors will
spend some time reviewing the previous year but will spend most of the time making plans for the upcoming
year. Is there something you would like for the Board of Directors to address or consider? We would love to
hear from you. ACWA is your organization; take time to "bend our ear."
To be completely honest, one of the things I get excited about in January is thinking about the opportunities to
see ACWA members and have a chance to visit. The second-best thing is meeting new people who want to
learn more about chuck wagons, Dutch oven cooking, and the ACWA. Hope to see you soon . . . .
John Conway
2023 ACWA President
A Little History
In 1996 at a chuck wagon competition in Amarillo, Texas, a small group of Old West enthusiasts and wagon masters talked about an
association. The mission would be to preserve the heritage of the chuck wagon and its use in the short, but significant, era of the cattle
drives. In 1997, in Bryson, Texas, by-laws and articles of operation were adopted and the American Chuck Wagon Association was off and
running. Today there are members in 31 states, Canada, Germany and France.
Mission statement - Revised 2020
The mission statement of the American Chuck Wagon Association is:
To preserve the heritage of the Chuck Wagon.
This will be accomplished by the following Core Values:
- Integrity.
- Education on historically correct aspects of Chuck Wagons and its importance to the beef cattle industry.
- Fair competitive events and the promotion of youth cook-offs.
- Fun for people passionate about chuck wagons.
- A desire to support our communities through various outreaches and educational scholarships.
- Inspiring future generations to embrace the chuck wagon and western heritage.
Effective October 1, 2020 - ACWA Contact Info:
ACWA, P O Box 626, Belton, Texas 76513
Email: acwa@chuckwagon.org
Phone: 940-532-1788
Latest News............
The 2022 ACWA Annual meeting will be on Friday, November 4th and Saturday, November 5th at Casey's Cowtown Club located at 503 East Trail in Dodge City, Kansas. The meeting will begin on Friday, November 4th with a 1/2 session and a full day on Saturday, November 5th. Click here for the full 1.5 days agenda items.
Lodging will be at the Holiday Inn Express, 201 4th Avenue, Dodge City, Kansas. For reservations, call 620-225-1000 and ask for the General Manager. The ACWA special rate is $115 per night. Special rates will be available until October 1,2022.
For those with RV's there is a KOA campground close to Holiday Inn Express. It is also managed by the General Manager of the Holiday Inn Express so you can call 620-225-1000 for more information.
2023 Board of Directors: The deadline of July 20, 2022, was reached and the Nominating Committee reported to the ACWA Board of Directors the members' response to the request for nominations for the three Board of Director vacancies only yielded one nominee, Darryl Jacobs of Texarkana, Arkansas. On August 9, 2022, at the monthly Board of Directors' meeting the Directors discussed and reviewed the current by-laws and parliamentary procedures.
After the review and brief discussion, the Board voted to fill the remaining two Board of Director vacancies for a one-year term as outlined in the current ACWA By-Laws. The two directors with a one-year appointment are Clint Combs of Las Vegas, Nevada and Leon Fischer of Chattanooga, Oklahoma. Therefore, since there is only one nominee for the Board vacancies, it did not require the ACWA members to vote for the director nominees.
Think about joining up...
2023 ACWA membership fees will remain the same as 2022 as Single Membership - $35/year and Joint Membership - $50/year. You may pay online by going to the Membership tab of this website OR by
printing off the 2023 ACWA Membership form and mailing your check or money order to: ACWA, P O Box 626,
Belton, Texas 76513. You do NOT need to complete a new membership form
UNLESS your contact information has changed, i.e., street address, email
address, etc.
Website Ad: Cost will remain the same as 2022 as $120/year; Newsletter Ad:
Cost will remain the same as 2022 as $100/year. You may pay for your ads online
by going to the Membership tab of this website and use PayPal to complete your
purchas, or you may mail your check or money order to: ACWA, P O
Box 626, Belton, Texas 76513.
Resources:
ACWA Trifold Brochure
Chuck Wagon Round Up Guidelines
Recommendations for a Chuck Wagon Event and COVID-19
Acquiring Liability Coverage for My Chuck Wagon Team -- Paul Geeslin
Read the latest by-laws here.
Members participate in Cook off competitions, demonstrations, catering, charity events, school visits and many other activities to fulfill that original mission and even surpass the dreams of those organizers. Thank you for visiting our site and we hope you will visit one or more of our chuck wagon events.